As the Great Lakes lawmaker Rep. Tom Huntley (DFL-Duluth) had some fun with Minority Leader Seifert's amendment for "no taxpayer support for pirate lovers and terrorists." Huntley offered his faux amendment to "protect the Great Lakes from pirates" then went on to define pirates as people who say "arrgh" and wear "puffy shirts." He then withdrew his amendment while wearing a play pirate hat and pretending to have a severed arm. Lawmakers are getting punching after many long days on the floor.
Rep. Seifert didn't think it was funny saying "this is serious, not a joke." This, moments after House Speaker Kelliher gave Seifert a birthday present of a pirate hat and swords (plastic). Seifert says Omar Jamal from the Somali Justice Center was aiding Wali-i-Musi the only pirate to survive the recent taking of an American ship captain. Seifert added "taxpayers shouldn't be supporting those who support and defend people who attack Americans." The amendment wasn't allowed.